2006 – The Year of the Thank You Notes
Before we begin, I first apologize to those of you who have used the entire “S” section of their address books trying to keep up with me over the years. It is probably easiest to just move me to “X” and be done with it, really, or switch to a Rolodex.
This year’s update:
Occupation: selling business telephone systems for DataTel
Work number: (208) 401-2110 (direct phone & fax)
Spouse: (yes, you read that correctly)
Stepson: David
Full name:
Don’t try this at home
Andy & I got engaged on January 11, got married on September 23, and in the time between we sold 2 houses, bought one, moved, and planned a wedding. It’s amazing what you will do when you’re in love and can exist on minimal sleep.
David
Having read WAY too many fairytales when I was a child, I still struggle with the idea of being a “stepparent,” let alone a “stepmother.” The very word still sends shivers down my spine. Luckily, David pretty much views me as a large child who plays Legos and TinkerToys, but whose PlayStation skills could use some work. On Saturdays we play trains, do puppet shows (including a disco remake of Jack and the Beanstalk), make pancakes, play Jumping Monkeys, and lots of other things I’m not ready to publicly admit to doing. It seems that my inner child isn’t very far below the surface after all.
Two engineers
Andy is an engineer. David is destined to be an engineer. At the age of 5 he showed me his favorite electronics circuits and explained resisters, LED lights, and three-way switches to me. This spring he explained to his kindergarten class how plumbing works. I am more of a liberal arts person, so it’s still hard for me to understand that electronics make sense to anyone, let alone a small child. Sometimes I feel a bit outnumbered in our house, but ALL electronics work in our home, and I never have/get to change a light bulb again. My friends want to know when they can start hiring him as a contractor.
Masters of the universe
This fall I lost Catanova, the opinionated cat I adopted in college, to brain cancer. I had him for just over 16 years, and still find myself looking for him when I come home. To keep Callisto company, we adopted Theo in August, and as of December she still can’t stand him, but she has at least quit biting me in sheer appreciation. No matter how hard you try, I think it’s impossible to pick friends for cats. The fact that Theo likes to pounce on Callisto’s head regularly probably has something to do with it as well.
This year I learned….
© enough whining gets you a new tent
© gas stove or not, an open flame is an open flame
© crafting will expand to take up whatever amount of room is allotted to it
© when you live with another person, a lot of what you do is rather embarrassing and hard to explain
© no matter how much you have promised to not invade it, having a half-full closet across the hall from yours is a serious temptation
© it is possible to develop carpal tunnel syndrome from addressing invitations
© it’s much easier to plan an event when it doesn’t have to make money, and frankly has no hope of doing so.
© if a couple has two houses, it’s best to sell both and buy one together. That way neither of you knows where anything is.
© if he receives sweaters, your husband is not as likely to complain if he sits on a knitting needle now and then.
© if you aren’t sure where a box should go, have the professional movers take it upstairs anyway
© my optimism will always run at least twice as fast as my ability to keep up when it comes to new projects. Fortunately, Andy finds this endearing.
© New Yorkers are very friendly people who are always ready to give you directions whether they know how to get there or not
© if one of your cats is jealous of the attention you give to a new kitten, she may feel compelled to present you with live birds & mice in your bedroom in the middle of the night
© live birds & mice in your room in the middle of the night fall into the category “things to leave to your husband.”
© sorting laundry into “things Andy is allowed to wash” and “things Andy is not allowed to wash” makes life easier for everyone
© some of us are closer to our “inner child” than others
© that makers of king-sized beds didn’t go that extra 3-inches to make a perfectly square mattress just to be perverse
© humor a man’s decorating ideas before vetoing them
© some of us are just destined to be pale, and we are prone to having passport photos rejected for being too washed out
© mentioning once or twice that you can’t eat red pepper may not be enough proof for some people. An evening of pain & antacids is more convincing
© there really is no good way to explain decorative pillows on a bed
© when you marry a very proactive man, be careful what you joke about
© if you want a small turkey, don’t shop the day before Thanksgiving
© some cats like the taste of mascara and eye makeup, especially at 3:00 in the morning
© be careful what sort of precedent you set for your annual Christmas letter.
It has been quite a year, to say the least. I hope you have all had a lovely year as well, and may 2007 be full of adventure, happiness, and new experiences for all of us.
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